


Seven Thirty Four: Crisis Core

by BloomingMiracle (Luna264)



Series: Seven Thirty Series [2]
Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, at some point i'll probably make this the first in the series, but that can wait until the next part of the remake comes out, most of these characters are bioweapons, zack tries to ignore his trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28758771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna264/pseuds/BloomingMiracle
Summary: Zack Fair always wanted to be a SOLDIER. Well, so did everyone else, but he made it.Maybe it wasn't really a good thing.
Relationships: Angeal Hewley & Genesis Rhapsodos & Sephiroth, Cissnei & Zack Fair, Zack Fair & Angeal Hewley, Zack Fair & Cloud Strife, Zack Fair & Kairi (Kingdom Hearts), Zack Fair & Kunsel, Zack Fair & Organization XIII Ensemble (Kingdom Hearts), Zack Fair & Sephiroth, Zack Fair & Tseng, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough
Series: Seven Thirty Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108436
Comments: 20
Kudos: 11





	1. Top Five Prequel Characters Who Deserve To Return In The Sequel

The teenaged year old girl landed hard on the pavement of the alley, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. She coughed, not thinking as she took the hand that helped her to her knees.

She looked at the boy in front of her.

He looked back.

“You’re not him,” she said. “This isn’t the right city, and you’re not him.”

“Not the version of him you’re looking for,” he agreed. “And you’re not the version of her I know.”

Kairi sighed. “Can you help me find him? _My_ Sora?”

“Hm,” Sora said. “Maybe, but there are other things I need to take care of first.”

“Like what?” Kairi got to her feet, still a little shakily.

“Too much.” His eyes were distant. He was ten years old. Something in Kairi’s heart wondered how long that had been the case.

“Maybe I can help,” she said. “I mean, if you’re going to help me find my friend…”

He seemed to return to the present, brightening a little. That was more like the Sora she remembered. “Maybe you can,” he said. “You’ll need a certain job, though, and to get that…”

“I don’t care,” Kairi said. “If it means you’ll help me find my Sora faster, I’ll do it. He’s my friend, he-- he’s only lost because--”

Sora nodded. “This is going to seem counterintuitive at first,” he said. “Do you think you can still trust me?”

She nodded once, firmly.

“Great,” he said, and extended a hand for her to shake.

She took it.

Behind him, in the alley’s mouth, someone else appeared. “Okay, I’m here. What did you need?”

Sora tried not to stiffen; some future version of him must have called her here, for some reason. He’d taken the time to know of all the Turks who might get themselves involved, but he had to admit he’d taken a bit of an extra shining to this one. She was special, he felt. Her presence was nothing to be concerned about, most likely, but he still had to…

“Wha-- Who is that?” The new arrival’s voice was suddenly tight.

Sora turned away from Kairi, who was now asleep, to start with. “No one to worry about, Cissnei. I’ll take care of her.”

Cissnei took a step forward, but stumbled. “Is-- Is that--”

“Cissnei?” At the very least, _she_ wasn’t surprised by _him._ He’d have to keep up a bit closer with her, at some point between her past and his future.

He was rapidly being forced to admit that he hated time travel.

“It’s-- It’s--” She fell to her knees, the hand that wasn’t dedicating itself to holding her even that much upright going to her head. “It’s-- My name, it’s-- It’s Kairi.”

He _hated_ time travel. He _especially_ hated time loops.

“Cissnei-- Kairi-- listen to me,” he said. “How much do you remember?”

“Eleven years,” she hissed. “You promised-- I-- _Eleven years_!”

“It’s almost over,” Sora promised her. “Soon enough, you just-- You have to look after someone for me, okay? Someone very important to this sequence.”

Whispers were gathering around them. He had to finish this soon.

“We promised a trade,” Sora said. “I’m sorry I didn’t explain it better, but _I_ didn’t realize exactly what I was asking, either.”

“You--” She began, then stopped. Then she began again. “I’m telling you _now,_ aren’t I? What exactly I’ve already traded away.”

He nodded slowly, sadly. “Soon,” he said. “You are going to meet a man named Zack Fair. I need your help taking care of him.”

“You can do _all this_ to me, but you can’t keep track of one guy?” Cissnei raised an eyebrow.

“It’s more complicated than that,” Sora said. “But yes, pretty much.”

“Why?”

The whispers began to brush against them. Cissnei looked around, suddenly seeing them.

“Let’s talk some other time,” Sora said. “I have to handle your beginning here.”

He picked up Kairi-- Kairi who had just _made_ this deal, as opposed to Kairi who had just remembered it-- and smiled as the whispers enveloped him, taking him out of sight and out of time.

Ten years gone. Time, it seemed, to give eleven in change.

* * *

Zack slammed hard against the wall of the training room, dizzily slumping to the floor.

“You could have blocked that,” Angeal said, offering him a hand up.

“Maybe _you_ could’ve,” Zack grumbled, taking it. “I’m still second class, yet.”

“You’ve had enough mako treatments to see that coming,” Angeal said. “You just need to train up your reaction time a bit more. Speaking of--”

Angeal flipped Zack onto the mat.

“You _definitely_ could have done something about that landing.”

“You’re bullying me,” Zack whined, even as a grin spread across his face. He climbed back to his feet. “Alright, let’s try again.”

Angeal lunged, and _this_ time Zack was able to block.

“Good!” Angeal pushed the attack, forcing Zack to block more blows. “Keep it up!”

Zack grinned.

“I’ve never seen someone look so happy to have someone trying to kill them.”

Zack glanced over at the voice, which was a mistake, as Angeal knocked him onto his back.

“That’s enough training for today,” Angeal said. “Try and work on your focus before next time.”

Zack grumbled vaguely to himself, standing as Angeal left the training gym.

“Damn, you’re not gonna get that stuffy when _you_ make first, are you?”

“I’m not gonna _make_ first if you keep interrupting my training, Demyx.” Zack folded his hands behind his head. “I thought scientists weren’t allowed in this part of the building without special clearance.”

Demyx smirked. “Hey, you’re right.” He took off his lab coat and tucked it under his arm. “There, see? We’re both bioweaponry. I’m allowed to be here.”

“I am a hand-picked, highly trained--”

“Mako infused.”

“-- hard working agent of the Shinra Electric Power Company with hopes, dreams, and relationships, and _you_ are a lazy asshole who comes out of his way to interrupt me and get me into trouble.”

“True enough, Fair,” Demyx laughed. “Come on, let’s get lunch or something.”

“Hiding from your coworkers again?” Zack chuckled. “Someday, they’re gonna make you actually do your job, you know.”

“Oh, I _assure_ you, Zack,” Demyx said, and while the levity didn’t _entirely_ drain from his voice, it certainly made a good show of trying, “I’ve worked some days.”

Zack chuckled again, a bit more nervous than before. “You know, you’re right, lunch is sounding kinda good right now.”

“I’m never wrong about lunch,” Demyx said, mostly back to normal. “I’ll accept that maybe I’m wrong about everything else in the world, but I’m never wrong about lunch.”

They walked along the hallway, chatting amicably about what Zack had been up to recently (training) and what kind of food might be available that day.

Demyx stiffened as they entered the cafeteria, and it took Zack a moment to see why.

Zack had met a few of the others assigned to whatever project Demyx was allegedly working on, easily identifiable by their surprisingly pristine lab coats. The one that scared him the most had been a strange, golden eyed man only a few years older than Zack himself, which was an accomplishment considering that one of the others (who was, incidentally, part of the pair that was approaching now) had threatened to kill him probably every time they’d crossed paths, with an air about her that convinced him that she was sure she could.

It was an understatement to say that Zack didn’t blame Demyx for trying to avoid these people as much as possible.

“We have an inspection in _three_ minutes,” Larxene said. “So, Demyx, either you are returning to the lab _now,_ or your severed head is doing so by itself.”

“Larxene, _please_ ,” Marluxia said, a few steps behind her. “Obviously I would be bringing his body with us. It’s only polite to the janitorial staff.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Demyx yelped. “Sheesh! Sorry, Zack. Some other time?”

“Yeah, probably,” Zack said. “Good luck with your inspection?”

“Luck has nothing to do with it,” Demyx grumbled.

“Except, perhaps, in determining whether we get back in time,” Marluxia said.

The three of them hurried out.


	2. Strange Boys Running Around Shinra Headquarters Apparently No Source Of Information, Locals Report

“She wouldn’t really kill him.”

Zack looked up from his mostly finished meal into the face of a stranger. Said stranger was probably around thirteen or fourteen, with silver hair covering one of his mako blue eyes, and a lab coat that was half smothering him. “Huh?”

“She doesn’t want to get decommissioned,” the boy said. “So she wouldn’t _really_ kill him. Or you, if you’re worried.”

“Who are you?” Zack set down his fork. “Are-- you’re not a new SOLDIER, because SOLDIERs don’t wear coats, but aren’t you a bit young to be a scientist?”

“They _should_ give you coats,” the boy said. “They send you off to enough cold places.”

“That’s-- I mean you’re _right,_ but that’s not really…”

“I’m Zexion,” the boy said. “And you’re Zack.”

Zack, for lack of any idea how to respond to any of this, decided his best option was to finish his meal.

“Hm.” Zexion frowned. “Demyx said you were more fun than this.”

Zack’s eyes drifted back to the lab coat. It seemed normal enough, not even suspiciously clean like the ones he’d seen on Demyx and his (other?) cohorts. “Where are your parents?”

“Where are _your_ parents?” Zexion countered.

“Gongaga,” Zack said.

Zexion gave him a long, critical look. “Where the _fuck_ is Gonaga?”

“Hey, you didn’t answer _my_ question!”

Zexion looked like he was about to say something else ultimately more confusing, but it was around that point that the door to the cafeteria opened and he ducked under the table as two more normal looking scientists entered, muttering quietly to each other.

Zack looked under the table, intending to ask what Zexion was doing, but he didn’t see the boy at all.

“Okay, that’s… a little creepy,” he said, mostly to himself.

He finished his meal and left the cafeteria.

* * *

“Oh, hey, Zack!” Kunsel jogged up to him as he entered the semi-waiting room for on duty SOLDIERs. “Did you hear?”

“Probably not,” Zack said.

“There was a mass desertion,” Kunsel said. “Apparently, one of the firsts left, and a bunch of other people went with him.”

“One of the firsts?” Zack thought of Angeal. “Which one? Do you know?”

“Um.” Kunsel rocked back and forth on his heels for a moment. “Rhapsodos, I think.”

Zack tried not to look too visibly relieved.

“Hey, uh, Zack?”

“Hm?”

“Who’s that kid? Is he supposed to be here?”

Zack turned, following where Kunsel was pointing, and saw Zexion standing next to him. He jumped back. “I thought you disappeared back at the cafeteria!”

Zexion snorted. Zack realized his coat was now oddly pristine; so he really was from the same lab as Demyx. “I was hiding,” the boy said. “I was supposed to be at the inspection, after all.”

“Zack, not that I’m particularly surprised this happened to _you_ of all people,” Kunsel said, “but where did you find a twelve year old?”

“I’m thirteen,” Zexion objected.

“He just… showed up,” Zack said. “You, uh-- You’ve met Demyx, right?”

“Briefly,” Kunsel allowed.

“I think I will be asking him what he _does_ here next time I see him,” Zack said.

“You’ll probably have a better chance asking Saix,” Zexion said.

Zack and Kunsel looked at each other.

“Haven’t met him,” Zack said.

“Neither have I,” Kunsel said. “Hey, uh, kid--”

“Zexion,” Zexion supplied.

“Alright,” Kunsel said. “Zexion, have you ever sent an email before?”

“No,” Zexion said.

“Would you like to?”

“Kunsel, how is that gonna--” Zack began, but Zexion was already trying to peer over Kunsel’s arm as he demonstrated how emails worked.

“Try sending one to Zack,” Kunsel said. “Here, I’ll put his address in for you.”

He did, then he handed the device over to Zexion. Zexion typed for a few moments, before starting to frown.

Kunsel moved to stand next to Zack. “Do you think he’s, like, okay?”

“Probably not,” Zack said. “So far, the implication is that he knows Larxene.”

“Who?”

The air around Zexion’s hands wavered, as though it was being seen through some sort of glass, and the screen of Kunsel’s PHS flashed with a bright light.

“Wh-- Hey!” Kunsel rushed back over as Zack’s own PHS beeped, signalling an incoming message.

He opened it up as Kunsel attempted to wrest an explanation from Zexion.

_This is an email testing the capabilities offjbgdsjhurtadfsgadshf GYFasbjhurtadfsfbnw et &^_ _r% $13d1ef r31 313EW RF13 N13b%13bf1taken &G D&WE gyi 3asd 131GSR&*ER v3ew W1YMZKAMISSIONUWS V̷̰̼͗͗̈́̆̐̓͛̚͝Ư̴̢̮̩̮̣̻̳̰̬̱̝͑̌̈́́̋̐̾̈̔̾͘̚͝Y̸̡̳̘͕͇̹͎̭̺͉͋́͛̃͂̃̏͜͜Ą̴̡̬̥̠̮̩͙͍̬͙̭̱̭̫͒̉S̴̳̀͗̍̋̉̾̓̂͘G̴̨̨̫̘̟̺̙͖̺̙̔̄̈́D̸͔̖̲͚̍̓̅͌Ȗ̷̗͖͕̼̆̑̏̕H̷̗͙̼̞̣͙͉̪͔͘Ȧ̸̛̟̼͙̎͒̀͆̌̆̂͛̎̆̍Ŝ̸̤̟̰̼͚͇͚̪͖͎̈́͗͒̐̾̔̚͜D̷̡̨̧̯͉͎̜̠̯̙̅̎̏̉̃̎͘I̷͍͚̜̓̈́̓̂̇͝͝͝Ö̵̡̡̬̗̺͙͙̫̙̰̭͍́̓̅̐̃̅Ḿ̴̡̹͈͍͖̩̣͈̱͚͚̲̣,̴̳͚͖̪̮̙͔̺̣̣͋̈́̀̎̆̀̎̒X̵̨̯̗̮̞͒̉̽͊̒̉̅̈́ͅi̴̝̩̥̲͈͗͗̈́͗̉ȉ̸̡̧̤̯̪̩̮͐̈͌̎̽̆͐͒̃̌̔̑͠ȋ̸͖̖̹̍͗̔̾̒̔̓ͅų̷͈̥͕̼͊̌̄̒͋̊͌̀̎̄͘͝d̶̬̼͋͜f̸̢̝͈̘̤̺̲̠͚̹̫͍͂̀͆̒͌̍̓͝ḩ̷̛͈̙̝̮̳͋̇͐̚͝g̶̱͚͇̗̪̪̹̃̂͂͒̏̅̌͑̈́̒̕ĭ̴̛͎̻̠̭̟͊̿́ǔ̶̧̨̼͙̺̰͕͑̌̇͂̋̈́̅̒̾̓̑̑̇͂H̴̢̹͖̜͔̤̭̞̎̈͋͆͆̀̍͊̓͘M̶͔̙̙̟͔̓̐̒̍̑̏̊̆͂̈́̓͘ĩ̶̛̛̮̠̘̔̅̓̿̑̏͐̈̑̽͘͝H̸̪̉S̷̡̖͇̙̟̰̜͈̬͕̗̝͛̎͘͘ͅD̴͔͉͖͎͎̝̲̜̠̦̹̹͙͐͋̃̒̏̆̌̍̒̄̕͝Ǔ̶̢̢͓͈͍͕͉̲̮͔͉̰̯̬̈͋̉̏͌̈́̄̈F̵̧̢̛̦̗̝̞͙͍͚̝̃͌̍́̂͜&̵̱̰̮̫͉̑̄̅͛̓̍̎͌̆̽̐͛*̸̘̯̩̇̇͌̆̆̓̏̿̏͆͛̃͝E̷͚̭̠͉̐e̶͔̰̙̬̩̪̥̙̭̩̯͆̎̽̊̆͐͂̓̆̏͂̕͜n̴͎͛̊̂͝ ̷̛͎̭̮̤̿͂͑̽͐͂̅͋͠d̴̡̫͙̺̜̙͖̳̣̙͚̜̾͒̈̓̈̉͝ ̴̡̧̨͙͍͔̝̞͎̐͑̑̈́n̵̜̭̱͈͔̼͈̘̮̞̐̈̄͂͝ų̴̻̪̩̪͈̊̿͂̓͛̈́͌͑̎͌͘͝͝͝d̸̡̪̥̝̤̪̭̘̺̮͕̙̈́̐̋̀f̶̧̛̯̫̯͗̐͌̂͘̕͝ȉ̸̢̻͖̲͖̮̯̫̜̪̦̑̍̈́͑̄͜͝͝ͅw̶̡̨͙̦̬̲̜͚̪͉̮̥̬̐̐e̸̱̮̝̥̪͚͖̫̼̼͊ͅṳ̸̧̰͓͓̗͈̤̬̪̞͒͛͌͑̓̊̂̉̚h̴̪̬̯̹̳̲̻͘3̴͔͈̍ͅq̴̢̡͎̗̝̳̯̘̪̖̫͒͗̃̍̒͊̂̽͝ͅe̵̫͕̣̠̳͕̳͈̜̣̻̽̍̇͒͐̍̌́͝1̶̢̧̦̟͚͍͙̫͇͇̱̺̌͂͊̇̏́͐̚͜q̵̧̡̛̱͙̠̠̭̤͖̥͕̋̊͐͆̿̇̊͜w̵̢̢̪͍͉͓̫̗̠̑͛̎ͅe̴͔͎̜̼̬̖̜̭͔̩̖̘͐3̸̹̪̟͖͎̊͌̂̉̋̅̈́͋́̿̂1̷̨̻̻͇͈̮̻͋̊͝ ̷͚̱͓̝̗͓͍̐̑̓̆̊̿͂͊̇̈́̚͠n̶̡̛͚̙̟͙̬͓̙͚̭͋͗̊̌̎̓̉͊̓͐̋̈́͝ḍ̶̞̦͓̊̒̃̉͆a̷̙̹̝̙̋̋̅̎̆̒͑̕͠͝d̵̨̧̛͈̻͔̦͍͓̯̮̈́͗͌̽̽̈3̵͉̮̱̦̯̙͉͑͆͌̑̅̓̊̃̒̕s̶̹͎͚̭͕͖͉̠̱̗͓̝͙̠̈̐͆̈̍̃̓̾h̵̡̼͕͉̬̘̖̼̰̰͙̐͐̑̾̇̐̔̌͜͝͝d̸̢̬͉̞̬̫͔̙̫̟̹͚͔̺͑̈́̃̋̇͆̄̋͛̚͠ͅh̴̨̩͈̣̩̥͚̗͕̠̯͇̎̑̌ ̵̨̹̻͇̅̂Ŭ̴̻̤̱̘̩͉̬̮̝̒̿̄̒̒̈ͅI̷̟̳̊́̃̓̀͊̏ͅS̷̡̛͚̬͔͍̞̐̋͂̒͗̓̇̌͗̈́̅̌̚̕Ụ̷͎̪̦̮̟̑͂̌̄̀̈́̅͒͑̒͜͝ͅD̷̡̪̺̥̮̺̠̫̜̬̲̻͗͛͑̓͒ͅm̵̢̧̟͇̫͉͊̅͜͝d̴̛̹͛͐̋́̓͊̀ḛ̷͖̟̳̦͓̣̤͊̿͜ͅs̶̛̰͈̟͎͉͚͉̲͖̭̪̱͒͌̔̊̈́̈́̔̑̈̓͒͑ĕ̶̡̨̩̈́̿̈̕ŕ̸͈̟̮̪̤̟̪͈̓͌͜t̴̨̧̨̙̝̠͇̱̻̼̫̔̾̓̒̊̈́̔̐̽͐̒͝ͅe̷̢̤͈͙̗̞̝͍͕͔͔͕͎̘̖͒r̷͓͔͔̰͚͍͈̻͍̆̑̔̓̽̓̾͐̀͘͘͜͝͝m̸͙͙̳̟̝͉̳̹̫͙̘͕͐̿̒͆͂̓͜͜ͅń̸̨̮̹̜̖̰̟̫͝h̷̢͈͖̭̙̲̙̮́͋̏͑̈́̌͗͌͗̏̏1̵̧̢̧̲͈̻̥̩̥̰͔̳̈́̊͂̌̐͐̅̒͒̆̉ͅ3̶̨̤̬͍̰̠̫̖̈́̇̉̀̂̌̋̐̿͒̋͆d̵̯̘̼̅̌̌̅̽͐̈́̂̕͝ģ̷̫̥͔̦̗̞̬͖̰̗̬̍o̵̰͍̦̦̮̣̘̓͐͠ǐ̴̫̱̠̙͋̂̈́̾͒̎̚̚͝͝s̵̢̛̝̲̺͇̞͇̳̤͉̄͋̍͂͂̊͆ų̷̢̫͂̏̈̍͗̈́̊͊̅͗͛̈́̆͜͠f̶̲̰́̈́̈́͋̄̂̏́͘ͅẖ̴͍̭̲̤̥̰̺̬̏͑͌̇̈́̐͗̕͘͝͝g̶͉͐̏̽̚͝i̷̥̥̣͙̞̮̝͇̘̹͎͕̲͍̓̃̽͛̈́s̷̛̫̼̪̋͐͌͛d̵̡̳̲̪͕̠͖͇̩̯͑̈́̑̉̾̉̚ͅͅû̶̼̞̹̐̂̿̐̅̈͑̊̓̈̉͝f̸̞̘͔̙̟̲̐̎̃̄͊͂͗̑́̇͠͝͝ͅͅh̴̛̥̻̼̻͚͔̿̽̍̈́͆̓̇̌̆̒͗̈́g̵̨̛͓̲̝͈̠̲͓̪͛͆̊̐͊͛̃̂̊̈́̀͘ͅf̸̲̬͗͊̌̅̌̈́͋̒̕̕̕ḏ̶̖̜͎̱͐͋̉̿̎̒͂͐͝͝V̵͍̎̋͑̅̃̎̏͛̉̅̋F̸̛͊̅̅̓̇̽͘͜͝ ̶̧̡͖͇̞͉̼̫̥͙̜̗̎̒͒͌̔͜G̴͍͈̞̠̀̏̈́͐̀͑̃ͅS̸̨̖̤͎͍͂͗͛̓͂̄̾͐̉̾͝D̷̡͔̪̣̺̻̖̃̆͆̌̅̃͒̑̑̑̈́͘̚Ë̶͍́͗N̴̛̹̩͗̉̆͜Ẹ̵̲̫̙̪͔́̅͌͜Ņ̶̜̀̌̃͊̈͆͐͐̋̆̉̐͜͠͝Ş̵̨͚̻̻̮̣͔̯̹̦͊̋͋̀1̷͙̼̦͍̼͉̟͖̯̃̎̊̎̋̚3̸̢͓̬͚̊͗̆̇̒́͂̈́̉͝͝͝1̸̧̛̬̞͓͉̙̱̙͗̂̾̑̈̑̏̕͝͝Ị̸̢̡̧͉̠̘̼͉̯̭̞̬͇͂̍̋̔̌̑̈́̈́̆͑̀̔͝S̵͎̜̬̾̎͛̈́̃̌̂͆̓͛̕͝ͅH̴̨̯̼̯̽̇V̷̛͓̝̣̫̜̗͂̃̽̓̆̋̃F̴̬̈̉̈́̈́̓u̷̳͔̠̰̤̖̮̐̅̕Ǘ̷̧̢̮̩̤̼͍̯̈́͒͋͂͐͐̅̒̕͘̚͝͝G̸̨̦̫͇̹̻̞̃͜D̸̫̙̄̾̍̂͑̎̒̃̉̅̏̓͠͝F̷̮͑̍̇͆̒͛͘Ỉ̸̡̗̬͈̋͠͝Ű̸̢̨͎͔̺̲̱̖̥̗̹̼̮̅͜Š̴̲̼͖̮̼̜̳̖̜̱̗̟̹̝͒̾͝3̶̧̰͚͇͎̆̈́̌̚Y̸̢̛̰̰͈̞̰̪̽̊̈́͌̇̑͝͝D̸̻̠̣̖͎̻͍̫̞͉̖̏̑̋̔̓ͅͅF̴̨̧̬̟̮͉̤̪̪̪̟̠̩̺̽ ̸̧̖̗̳͇̪̥̜̹̦̦̰̮̬̯̂̋͆Y̵͚̅̓U̴̢̼̪̱̥͖̠͔̦̬͔̘͙͛͝D̷̨̡͎̹̮͕͔̿̈́͌̀͊͊̈́͂̾̌G̵̨͖̫̯̻̭͎̟̭̹̥̘̮͍̳͊̈́̂͂̈̑͂̏̐̚̚̕ų̷͇̗̼̤̪͔̖̋y̶͔̥̟͌̆̓͂̓̀̔̂̅̇͛̚͘̕͝g̵̨̛̱̯̩̫̤͓̠̩̑͜U13YGDFUGdsygufuysdgnf syudgproje\ctxiiifuys SBETRAYAL1DFGIDYGFY313GB DZYFygfsubydgf13b zuysgdf suydgf uaysgdfyuc yusgd13iugf syudgfyusdgYUYSTOLENDGF SDYUNXSMufhsduyfiszb syduhurtvbuysdbcy ISFDBGbfguysdfyu U u ubG S IUHURTSDFDBF siudbfhbpleassedubf asdboaudfbhelpjdsb_

The message was sent from Kunsel’s PHS address.

“This is… weird,” he decided.

“Did you even _send_ an email?” Kunsel asked Zexion in desperation.

“Yes,” Zexion said.

Kunsel looked to Zack for confirmation, so Zack held up his PHS. “A little incomprehensible, if I’m honest, but I… have it.”

“It doesn’t normally flash like that when it sends a message,” Kunsel said. “I-- I was _so_ sure he’d broken something.”

“Good thing I didn’t,” Zexion said.

“I… _really_ would’ve preferred to hear something like ‘I would never’,” Kunsel sighed, flopping over onto a couch.

“Well, you never know,” Zexion said.

“We are gonna be in _so_ much trouble if someone finds you out here, aren’t we?” Zack sighed.

Zexion considered that. “You’re right,” he said. “I should go. We wouldn’t want to get you taken off your mission.”

“Who’s _what_ now?” Zack and Kunsel asked in unison.

Instead of answering, Zexion vanished unceremoniously.

“Weird stuff just keeps happening to you, huh, Zack?” Kunsel crossed his arms.

Zack leaned on the couch, over him. “Somehow, I get the feeling it’s gonna get weirder.”

The door opened, revealing Angeal. “Zack, come with me a minute,” he said. “We’re going to see Director Lazard.”

Zack straightened immediately, trying not to notice Angeal’s gaze ever so briefly darting to the side, as if something were passing him. “R-Right away!”

“Do well!” Kunsel called as they left the room.

“I intend to!” Zack grinned back at him before the door closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting off with two chapters yeet! Cissnei being Kairi was an idea I got from [a tumblr post](https://roxasboxas.tumblr.com/post/640717564054503425/oveliagirlhaditright-snowflake-of-destruction) that finally kicked me into gear to start writing this so obv I had to include it. I think I was going to have more to say here but I realized I somehow lost my phone literally without moving so now I'm distracted by that. oh well.


	3. A Handy Dandy Guide To The Geneva Convention

Zack was practically vibrating with excitement as he, Angeal, and a complete stranger sat in the bushes waiting for their cue. Their cue, of course, was going to be a loud explosion, because Shinra was nothing if not the slightest bit extra.

“Come on…” Zack muttered.

“You’re awfully excited to commit war crimes,” the stranger commented.

“Quiet, VII,” Angeal scolded. “Zack’s not going to be committing any war crimes.”

“No, technically speaking, I think we’re all committing war crimes today,” VII said. “At the very least, that was the briefing _I_ got.”

“What makes you so insistent we’re doing war crimes tonight?” Zack asked.

“Because they don’t send people like us anywhere they’re _not_ planning on committing war crimes.” VII looked towards their target. “You get used to it, in some fashion or another.”

Zack huffed, leaning back a bit. “You’re not a SOLDIER. I’d’ve seen you around, and our numbers don’t go up to seven.”

VII chuckled mirthlessly.

The explosion went off.

Zack was up like a rocket, already running full speed towards the gate. He was going to do _so well._ He’d been training and training and training for a mission like this. He’d already brushed VII’s words aside by the time he encountered the first of Wutai’s defenses.

Behind him, Angeal and VII slipped in, a bit more stealthily.

“You’ve done him no favors, making him so excited for something like this,” VII said.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Angeal said. “You know what you’re here to do.”

“Sooner or later he’ll understand the gravity of all this,” VII hummed, although it was more to himself than to Angeal. “I wonder what he’ll think of you then-- if he’ll forgive you.”

“Quiet,” Angeal snapped, but something in his face was wavering.

VII didn’t say anything else; hopefully, he wouldn’t need to.

* * *

Zack was doing so well (so well!) as he progressed to the center of the pagoda. His enemies had been… _enough_ of a challenge, but he’d taken out all of them.

Angeal was going to be _so_ proud of him.

Shinra was going to be proud of him. He might even make first. He might even be a hero.

He slashed through the warriors in his way, and--

And stopped.

A little girl was standing there.

“Hi,” he said.

“If you wanna go any further, you’re gonna have to go through me,” she declared. “I am the greatest warrior in Wutai!”

“You’re, like… eight,” Zack said.

“Nine!” She shook her finger at him.

He raised his hands defensively (what was he supposed to do here?) and stepped back. “My mistake,” he said. “Still, though… you should go home. It’s not safe here.”

The girl grinned triumphantly. “Not for you!”

She punched him in the stomach. Then she did it about five more times, to be sure.

For lack of any better ideas, Zack doubled over pretending to be in pain. “Agh, no!” He let himself fall to the ground. “How could I have been defeated?”

She laughed, and started to skip off. After a few steps, though, she stopped. “Hey, who’re you?”

Zack was about to respond, when he got a little more upright and saw who she was talking to; VII was standing there, somewhere between concerned and confused.

“Are you from one of the outlying towns?” The girl stood on her tiptoes. “I took care of everything, so you don’t hafta worry anymore, okay?”

“I…” VII said. He glanced at Zack, expression almost pleading. “Your… _household_ asked me to send you home. It’s late. You should be asleep so you can grow taller.”

She blew a raspberry at him, but ran off into the night.

Zack stood. “How’d you pull that off?”

VII sighed, turning his attention back to Zack. “I suppose I’m lucky she didn’t look into my eyes,” he said. A small smile flashed across his face. “After all… capable of taking down a SOLDIER at such a young age… she’ll be a force to be reckoned with someday. It’d be a shame to get her caught up in all this.”

His eyes…? Zack looked closer.

VII was _not_ a SOLDIER; he’d known that already. But the clear, bright blue in his eyes was unmistakably, hauntingly familiar.

Zack shook himself. “No, I meant… how’d you convince her you were from around here? I mean, there’s a bit of a…”

“My father emigrated to Junon when he was young,” VII said. “Demyx was right, you _are_ just a _fountain_ of curiosity.”

Zack blinked. “You--”

“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced,” VII said. “I mean, I’ve heard of you, given your tendency to indulge my… cohort, but…”

“Indulge is a strong word,” Zack laughed. “Hey, shouldn’t we be working?”

VII didn’t look particularly excited about the prospect.

“Come on,” Zack said. “We’re setting some kind of bomb, right? And then the war will be over?”

“It won’t be,” VII said. “This is all an--”

“An end to a pointless conflict that has gone on too long,” Angeal said, approaching the pair and giving VII a warning look Zack figured it’d be best not for him to catch onto.

“I thought you’d left already,” VII grumbled.

“ _That_ would be deserting,” Angeal said. “You _know_ what happens to deserters, _right,_ VII?”

“I am aware,” VII said coldly.

The three of them walked into the central area.

“Wow,” VII muttered. “I _finally_ get to see this place in person, right before I have to blow it up.”

“Hey, give us some time to get out of the blast radius,” Angeal said, dropping off a small bag next to one of the doors. “Come on, Zack, we’ll meet up with him in a minute.”

“Are we leaving this man in the bomb zone?” Zack asked. “I’m not sure how I feel about leaving this man in the bomb zone.”

“I _am_ the bomb zone,” VII said. “Get the hell out.”

* * *

Zack put VII’s weird behavior out of his mind, mostly, by the time he and Angeal caught up with Director Lazard.

“When’s VII’s detonation?” Lazard asked.

“Any moment now,” Angeal said. “Assuming we can be sure of his loyalty.”

“Scarlet _said_ we could be,” Lazard said. “Still--”

Zack whirled, blocking an attack from behind him.

Angeal knocked the attacker away. “Get Director Lazard to safety,” he ordered.

Zack nodded, before turning to the director, the two of them leaving Angeal behind. Eventually, they caught up with some more Shinra security.

“Go help him,” Lazard said to Zack without preamble. “Something’s wrong.”

“Sir--” Zack began.

“Go.”

Zack hesitated for another half a second before turning back around and running to where they’d left Angeal.

Defeated SHINRA security guards and feathers, but no Angeal. In the distance, an explosion.

“Angeal?” Zack called. “Angeal? Where are you?”

No response.

“Angeal, this isn’t funny.” Zack looked around. “Or is this supposed to be some sort of impromptu training exercise? Is now really the time?”

Footsteps approached through the trees.

“Angeal!” Zack’s relief was palpable.

“Not so, I’m afraid.” Sephiroth emerged, dragging a resigned-looking VII behind him. “Where is Director Lazard?”

Zack stared numbly. After a few moments, he came to himself enough to point back the way he’d come from.

Sephiroth moved past him, not acknowledging him any further. VII didn’t look at him at all.

What was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zack: *exists*  
> Project XIII: I'm about to insert myself into this man's whole career


	4. Concerns, Volume I

“Him as well,” Lazard muttered. No one seemed to have noticed Zack’s approach. “That leaves you as our only remaining first.”

“Trust me, I know better than to run off like that,” Sephiroth laughed. “Even a first class isn’t immortal.”

Lazard smiled, a little. “True enough.”

VII rolled his eyes, but said nothing. He didn’t seem to consider himself really part of this conversation.

“What’s going on?” Zack asked, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Ah, Zack, good.” Lazard brushed his hands together, briefly. “We should be heading back soon.”

“What about--”

“Angeal has left us,” Sephiroth said bluntly.

“Wh-- That doesn’t--” Zack looked between the three of them, lost.

“It seems it’s true,” Lazard said. “Fortunate we are, I suppose, that he didn’t take you with him.”

They all seemed dead serious. It didn’t make sense to Zack at all.

Angeal wouldn’t leave SOLDIER.

Angeal wouldn’t leave him.

Right?

* * *

The mood at the base was grim.

What few SOLDIERs remained were mostly quiet. At least, they were mostly quiet around Zack. He’d heard more than a few conversations die this past week as he’d turned corners or opened doors.

Whether they were trying to let him mourn in peace, or were worried about anything they said getting back to Angeal somehow, he couldn’t say.

The one bright spot in all of this was Kunsel; either he was oblivious to the atmosphere that had taken root since Angeal’s departure or he just didn’t care.

It was as they left the gym one day, sweaty and laughing and forgetting a little about everything that was going on that they overheard the conversation.

“What were you thinking?” An unfamiliar voice cut through the hallway. “If Lazard finds out you _said_ that--”

“It’s the truth, Axel,” VII said. “That man did him _no_ favors. SOLDIER or not, he’s going to have to face the reality of the situation eventually.”

Axel groaned. “Damnit, Saix, we’re _really_ gonna be in the shit now.”

Zack and Kunsel exchanged a glance, inching closer to where the voices were coming from.

“I have a plan,” VII-- Saix-- said. “If we can get to Reno--”

“No way in hell they’re giving us enough of a leash to _run off_ with a Turk, with two firsts on the outs,” Axel said. “We’ll have to leave without him.”

“We already lost my sister, we’re _not_ leaving your brother with these people.”

Zack leaned around the corner, as minimally as he could.

Saix really was VII, and he was standing with another man around his same age, both of them wearing suspiciously pristine lab coats.

He ducked back, looking at Kunsel with wide eyes.

“We’re going to have to, if we want to get out of here,” Axel said. “Unless we want to make the bet that we can pull this off twice.”

Saix took a breath through his teeth as Zack and Kunsel inched away.

When they were far enough that they figured they wouldn’t get busted for eavesdropping, they turned to each other and, in unison, asked “What was _that_ about?”

Kunsel blinked and stepped back. “How am _I_ supposed to know? That Zexion kid told _you_ to talk to this Saix guy, didn’t he?”

“That doesn’t mean _I_ have any idea what the hell he’s talking about!” Zack threw his hands in the air. “Either of them. _Any_ of them! How many of these people _are_ there?”

“Fourteen,” Zexion said. “Why?”

Zack stiffened, and Kunsel jumped, colliding with and latching onto Zack’s shoulder as he instinctively moved away from the nearest 13 year old.

“Just… wondering,” Zack said.

“Can I try your PHS again?” Zexion asked, turning to look Kunsel directly in the face. “Vexen won’t let me near the lab computers. Something about Larxene.”

“I… guess so,” Kunsel said. “Just… don’t break it, okay?”

“I shouldn’t,” Zexion agreed, which was not very comforting, but the three of them went to a waiting room and sat down on one of the couches, and Kunsel handed Zexion his PHS anyways.

Zexion tapped at it for about a minute, before the screen flashed like it had the time before and Zack’s PHS beeped.

“Okay, that’s enough email for today,” Kunsel said. “What are you-- I mean, _how_ are you getting the screen to flash like that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Zexion said, very seriously.

Zack snorted.

“It doesn’t normally do that,” Kunsel insisted.

“Do what?”

Zack pulled out his PHS and checked his mail.

_JLFBSHINṘ̶͕̘̟̼̱̱̪Ä̴̡̨̬͉͈́̽̈́̊̀͌̈́̀̚L̸̢̽̈́̇̆̉̈́̈̈͌̉͋̕͜j̷̙̲͔̤̣̦͒͑ͅͅb̵̧̡͓̟͉̟̫͔͎̩͙̳̼̖̎̈́̑̚͘͝h̸̨̺̳̱̟̼̘̻̮̟̫̩̰̜͑̓̄́͛̕͠e̸̹̪͑͠l̷̡̨̖̲̦͎͌̉́̊̓̓̚̚͝ĕ̸̳̎͠c̴͖̜̭̖̩̫͔̈́̈́̃̒̋̑͗̽͌͜tricgjhfsjdf sdifjbgapowé̵̢̢̲̫͓͚̯̣͈̍̔̚͝ͅr̷̢̨̨̢̢͙͍̲̫̲͈͍̈d̶̢͖̲̥̘̖̟̓̿̉͝h̶̡̧̨̻̺͍̟̞̪̱͔̤̺̠̀̿̅̆̒̈́͠g̵͕̝͓̠̩̼̪͇̲̳̠͖̤̈̆̑̇̏̿͘͝s̵͍̦̳̅̌̎̑̽̓̎̆ǰ̸̡̥̭̹͔͕̎ ̴͓̥̳͍͔͎͉̜͎͔̹̳̥̅̍̐̾̌̇̕̕a̴̡̯̺̞̘͉͗̄̍͌̆̆̾̐͝s̵̛͎̯̳̫̣̈͌͑̍̾͊̍̉͊͑̒͜͝d̷̨̡̗̰͇̠̰͕̮̝͈̝̯̀͗̍̌̏̍͗̍̕͘jbf jsDSOLDIERFJGSFGajbf aj ajsweop̷͓̼͍̏̏́̔̄̚͝o̷̧̲̩͉̩̳̬̅̍̔̇͗͐͐̓̌̏̚͝ń̸̨̳̥͔̼̱͚̗̤͈͕̤̹̈́͑̋̓͠ͅḋ̶͍̒b̷̨̨̻̖͕̝̳̜̰̺̹̲̩͛̿͛͋͒͑̂͑̆̀̉̊̉͝f̵̫͕͉̯̼̠̙̲͊͠ȁ̷̭͉̪̦̖͚͇̯̠̰j̵̧̡̛͉̲̼̰̳̗̤̗̫͗̆̌̇̈̐̚̕͝͝k̶̗̺̮͗͛̍̍͑̎͛̓͗̀ş̵̡̘̙̖̏̌͛͋̅͝ḩ̷̙͙̺̮͙̻̜̤͇͎̞̥͇͊̒͌̕ď̸̨̹̯̬̞͗͊̾̌͋̆̋̚͝f̸̧͚̼̱͍̿̅̂j̷̡̰̯̯͈̠̙͓̝̟͍̯̲̯̆̓̾̈͑͌̑͛̽̆͝ͅp̸̩͈̤̺͙͖̺̺̭͚̹̽́͘r̶̡̡̹͕͔̬̺̻̗̫͖̻̾͒̌͑̄̆̍̎͐̚ò̷̲̈́̅̂͌͆̉̂̕͝jectxiiikasdf asjdweapo̵͇̫̪̳̰̺̱̹͔̅̃n̸̛͖̲̂͒́̓̄͗͐͂̈́̀f̸̭̹̮͇̪͇̩̳̜̟́̀̾̐͌͌͆̅̕b̸̧̩̥̺̱̖͖̳̟̖̼̜͉̈́͆ą̷͖͓̍̆K̶̨̤͔̻̩̣̤͍͖̣͊̌̋͒͑́̄̎͊S̴͉̩͎̥͂̅̎̊̍̓̂́̕͜͠F̴͍̘̥̰̀͌̅̋͐̌͆͜͠J̷̣̮̤͍̖̜̒̌͗̐̎Ḏ̷͇̬̝̙̖͈͉͉̙̓͛͌̐͠͝͝͝G̶̲̥̻̤̗̦K̵̢̢̺̤͍͎̮̉̊̍Í̴̪̟̉͝LLERSJBFG jhrunbjfasrunjbfjrunhbjkJHBG jhŗ̵̻͉̰̞̗̄̋͌̂̓͗́̎͘̕̚͝ͅų̴͖̙̦̠̗͈̰̠͔̯͓͇͋̈͐͘n̶̛̠̥̥͓̭̜͙̥̳̠̏̋̄̍̑̄͒̔̓̈́̓͘̚f̷̖̞̫̮͈͔̩̼̎̓̋̉̾̔̌͘ ̸̖̼̅̒͑͂͂̃̎̕ḍ̸̈̾͋͋͒̍͂́̄f̶̮̭̮̩͈̹̗͍̋͛j̸̨̡̭̺̹̘̭̻͊͛͆̆̋̃̽͆̚͜b̴̢̖̝̖͇̫̿͆͂͜g̷̙̭̦̫̖̗̫̗̮̮̈́̓̐̈́̌͛̇̅̓̀̋͘̚͝h̸̡̠̲̥̙̔̌͛́̋̈́̎͂͘̚d̶̡͕͈̜̹͔̖̹̬̭̓̏͋̎̈́͗̌͂̚f̶̢͉͔̼̬̾J̴̧̢̥̫̖̰̹̤̬͆̍̇̀̿̃̓̈́̂͘͠BHELP GETJDFG JHELPBJ̴̤̹͇̭͎͓͍̰̱͙̿̿̎̿̈̏̈̈́̆́̑͝͠͝ͅh̶̛̪̠̺͚̻̙̄̇̓̅͒̂̏̿͝b̵̞͉͔̳̬͑̄̄̈́̾̈́j̵̢͉̟͚̣̠͍̍͆̑͗̾̈́̊̈͗̓̍͛͋͛͘͜h̸͚͍͙͈̣̆̂͐̎̎̕͜͝͝b̸̡̪̜̺̪̱̜̦̗͍̙̘̆͑͂ ̴̯̱͈͔͕͉̦̔͑̈̈́̒̏̒̓̋͊̎̒̕j̶͔̠̋̈͊̓̀h̷̡̧͖̙̺̜̹̦͈̩̼̆̿͂̊͛͊̚͜͠͝ę̷̧̗͎͓̭͎̟͍̜̔̈́͝ļ̵̛̹͗̎̉̅͘p̸̨̛̫͚̰͍͋̍͂̆d̴̻͓͍̥̘̖͍̫̙̯̻͖͙͗͌͗̈́́̔͋b̷̛̘͈̙̓̉̆̈́̋͐͊͘͝s̵̢͉̰͚̭̥͓͙̑̇͊͛̔̕c̸̫̭̤̘͖͇̲͛̉̐̑̄͛̋ͅaredsjdbhfjadbsh HJ JSDBHRUN̶̩̺̪̠͎̫̑͋͠F̵͎̗͉̱͖̗̲̹̭̝̣̬̫̞̿̉̇̅͒̍̐̄͊̔̿͗͌̚J̸̢̮͇̳̻̜̯̹͔̙̩͔̞̹̠͛̃̏͐̌̎̍͝͝H̸̳̣͎̫̟͕̼̟̥̗͚̓̎̿̈́̾̓̓̂̒̚̚͝B̶̼͓̾̑̆͝͝A̶̢̱̝̱̘̞̜̼͍͍͍͋̽̊̈́̈͑̐̓̍̊̈́͌̕͜͜͝C̸̡͍̩̖̾́̋͑̽͂̎̈́̂̕̕ ̷̡̙̠͓͚͍̪̤̱͔̩̹͔͌̔̊̎͘͝ ̷̨̨̬͎̝̼̙̳̻̖̬̩͍̣̆͂̓͋̕ͅ ̸̡̡̡̫̥̲͇̥̺͉̹̥̟̰̫̓̆̈́̈́̓̉̑̇̓͊͋͂̿͠j̸̡͔̰̯̰̖͉̱̯͙͊̂͊̕͝ͅḩ̶̛̩͓̫̜̮̱̔̋͌̑͑̌̓̎͌̿̾̚͝͠a̶̢̛̛̞̤̠̖͇͙̹̺̔̌̉͐̍̈́̐́̚̕͜͠ͅḓ̷̢͈̳̖͈̮͔͋̓̍̓̐̃́ͅf̶͖͓͔̰̟̯̝̹͙͚͉̈́͜b̸̬̩͈̖͕̾̅̀̎̈́̉̏̽̚͠͝j̷̧̪̱̘͇͕̙̲̘̝͗̇̐̅̇̾̿̄̏͘͘͜ḓ̸͓̘̗͔͎͓̀̅̾̒͘͘̚͝ͅǩ̴̢̢̹̖̗̫̦̥̩̰̯̭̌̐̓͂͂́̀̎̇̈́̋̊͘̕i̷̘̟͔͕͎̹͚͕̗̬̿d̶̙͆͌̒͒̎̄̇̈͊̾͑̿nappedshbfjhrunadsjf_

“Zexion,” Zack said, “I’ve gotta ask about the content of your emails.”

“They don’t appear to be able to include image files,” Zexion said.

“That… answers precisely _none_ of my questions,” Zack said, “Um, what’s with the eldritch text?”

“I’ll try to get it under control,” Zexion promised unhelpfully.

“... Right,” Zack said. “Hey, have you two eaten lunch yet? I don’t know about you, but I could go for some lunch right now.”

“Lunch sounds great,” Kunsel said. “Come on, Zexion, let’s get some lunch.”

“I shouldn’t,” Zexion said, “but I’m _definitely_ going to.”

* * *

Zack entered Director Lazard’s office hesitantly. “I… was called?”

“Yes, you were,” Lazard said.

“Any word on Angeal?” Zack didn’t try to keep the hope from his voice.

Lazard shook his head, and Zack wilted a little. “Nothing. His mother hasn’t heard from him either. But that’s not what this is about.”

“Hm?”

“You’re going to go to the hometown of Genesis Rhapsodos,” Lazard said. “No _word_ of him being there, but it’s important to check. His family could be sheltering him, for example.”

“I guess,” Zack said.

“You won’t be going alone, of course,” Lazard said. “This time, you’ll be taking a Turk with you. I _do_ expect you two to disengage and return here if you encounter Genesis himself.”

“Right,” Zack said, thinking back to his sparring sessions with Angeal. He’d never won any of them, and he’d _never_ been able to shake the feeling the man was going easy on him.

A man in a suit approached them. “Tseng,” he said, extending a hand to Zack.

“Zack,” Zack said, taking it. “You’re the Turk?”

“And you’re the SOLDIER.”

“Right,” Zack said. He looked back to the director. “When are we leaving?”

“Just one more thing,” Lazard said. “Then you can go.”

Zack blinked, glancing at Tseng a moment. “Yeah?”

“Don’t feed VI again.” Lazard leaned back in his chair. “He’s on a very strict diet, and Scarlet _will_ kill me if she finds out SOLDIERs have been messing it up. This goes for Kunsel, too, by the way.”

VI. Who was--

Zexion?

Zack tried not to wince. “Yes, Sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *stumbles in with the chapter* ah shit its Thursday I thought it was Wednesday 2!


	5. Abandoned Factories That Are Honestly Just Asking To Be Broken Into

“Huh,” Zack said, looking at the screen of his PHS. “Did you know a decent amount of Banora’s budget comes from Shinra subsidies? Wonder what that’s about.”

“Not my department,” Tseng said. “Or _yours,_ really. Do you get any _useful_ emails?”

“Hey,” Zack said. “Kunsel sends me _plenty_ of useful emails.”

Tseng rolled his eyes, and kept walking.

Zack’s PHS beeped again. He opened the new email, from an address he didn’t actually recognize.

_KAJSD̵̢̛̩͖͇̭̬͕͛̈́̅̽̽̇̈́̔̓͑͂͋N̶̨̲͙̳̠̾̉̓̚̚ͅA̶̞̻̮̫̩̖͖̼̎̆̈́͂̂̾̐̂̀̅͝͝ͅṇ̴̨̡̨̧̻̩̘͈̺͓̤͇̺͕̿͐͌͌̋̽͆̅̿̌̆͘͝͝͠d̸͓͎͕͒̌̿̈́̌͋̇̕á̷̧̘̱̲̣̃͋̈́ŝ̶̲͔̋͂̀̄̕͝ḱ̴̢̡̪̖̞̳̝̼̻̜͉̗͚̩̗̽̑͂̇͝jdnk klspracticekdn ASKJDNJKNdnj ei BDEU̸̟͉̣̹̙̲̝̫̩̝͋̆͛̈͂̐̈́̉͆́͆̊͆̉͌͜͜Ņ̶͔̪͙̹̻͖̠͗͂̎̆͌̌͠͝Y̷̡̞̋̊͋̿̔̑͆̕̚͠Ę̵̬̲͙̖͎̙̻͖̞̫̓̽̐͌̽̑̀͋̌͐̚͜ ̶̡̛̟̯͈̦̩͍̗̰͔͍͇̓̓͂̈́͊̈́͠͝x̷̢̛̘̻͇̱̳̓̆̾̍̉̔̊̕͝ṉ̸̛̻̟̲͚̹̎̽͗͒͘͠i̵͈̖̗̺͉̣̻̬̞̐͐̓͋̎̇̓͠͝ͅu̶̪̱̞̟̫̯͖̹̭̲̼͙̩͔̗͐̓͌q̸̨̨̡̺͎̹͓̠̃̽̅̽̄̏̃̇̓͋̃̕̚ndwlefseeusoonasdfbUIBfoubr :)_

He sighed, trying not to be _too_ concerned about whatever Zexion had gotten up to. He was a good kid, right? He was smart enough not to get in trouble?

“Sounds _very_ useful,” Tseng teased. “Any updates?”

“That… wasn’t Kunsel,” Zack said. “Other people email me, too.”

“Ah,” Tseng said, pretending to have a dawning of understanding. “Only _Kunsel_ sends you useful emails.”

“You’re an asshole,” Zack said.

* * *

“Copies…?” Zack knelt next to the unmoving forms of his dispatched opponents.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Tseng said. “Too much mako exposure makes living beings vulnerable to being overwritten by… stronger entities. Especially when certain stolen equipment is involved.”

“These are-- were-- SOLDIERs,” Zack said. “Could-- Could that happen to me?”

“Who’s to say?” Tseng kept walking. “Keep an eye out for monsters with a familiar face, too.”

“What are you implying?” Zack’s eyes narrowed.

“What indeed?” Tseng hummed. “Let’s keep looking around. Meet back here later.”

“Uh… sure,” Zack said. “See you then.”

* * *

  
  


There was only one person in town.

Angeal’s mother sat in her home, when Zack knocked and entered. She looked up at him as he did. “Who are you?”

“I’m Zack,” Zack said, closing the door. It didn’t stay latched. “Zack Fair.”

“Oh!” She smiled. “Zack the puppy!”

“Eh?”

“Angeal wrote to me about you,” she said. “Eager to please, but no focus. Like a puppy.”

“I’m… flattered,” Zack said, not really feeling it.

“He seemed more fond of you than he was of most of his coworkers,” she said. “He and Genesis were always close, though, so you never displaced him.”

“Is… Genesis in town, now?”

“Yes.” Her face fell, and her eyes seemed distant. “And most of the town is dead. What happened…?”

Zack shifted his weight back and forth for a few moments. “I don’t know,” he said finally. “You should run-- hide. It’s not safe here.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “He can’t hurt me.”

_Can’t_ was not a word Zack generally considered in conjunction with any of the first classes.

His PHS began to ring. He shot Angeal’s mother an apologetic look and answered it. “What’s up?”

“Change of plans.”

“Huh?”

“Genesis copies in the factory outside of town,” Tseng said. “Meet me on the cliff above it.”

“R-Right,” Zack said. “See you there.”

He hung up.

“I have to go,” he said to the woman who was still sitting calmly at the table. “Stay safe, alright?”

She nodded, and he left the house. Time to find Tseng.

* * *

“In there, huh?” Zack knelt next to Tseng at the edge of the cliff.

“Right,” Tseng said. “Any sign of Angeal?”

“He wasn’t at home,” Zack said. “But-- If I can find him, I can talk to him. I think I can convince him to come back. Maybe Genesis, too!”

“Mm.” Tseng looked down at the factory.

“What, you don’t believe me?”

“I believe you’ll do your utmost to try,” Tseng said. “I’m not as sure as you are that it will work.”

“Wow, do you have _any_ faith in me?”

“Not really.”

“Hey!”

Tseng scoffed. “We barely know each other.”

“It’s still not something you say,” Zack said. “Whatever. Genesis copies in the factory. What are _we_ doing?”

“Sneaking in,” Tseng said. “This is probably their base of operations, so move carefully. Remember, if you see Genesis--”

“I know,” Zack said. “I heard Director Lazard’s orders, too.”

Tseng sighed. “Are all you SOLDIERs like this?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Zack said confidently. “I’m going in.”

* * *

Tseng followed quickly after Zack as they entered the factory, ducking off to search for clues while Zack handled the Genesis copies that had infested the place.

Copies, monsters, and stolen Shinra security machinery.

What a day.

He hacked and slashed his way through the enemies, until the warehouse room they’d entered through was completely quiet.

“Zack, this way,” Tseng called, and Zack followed, arriving in the factory’s office.

“What’s up?”

“This is definitely where they’re making the Genesis copies.” Tseng leaned over the office’s computer. “They’re using the factory’s systems to keep track of themselves, too.”

“Good to know.”

“Genesis should be somewhere on the second floor of the factory proper,” Tseng said. “We should--”

“Maybe Angeal’s there, too,” Zack said. “I’m gonna go check.”

“SOLDIER second class Zack Fair,” Tseng said, voice starting to shake in disbelief. “Are you, completely seriously, about to knowingly enter a space you believe to contain not one but two _probably hostile first class SOLDIERs?_ And you expect to survive?”

“Yes,” Zack said, and moved towards the door to the factory.

Tseng’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Please,” he said. “Take my advice and do _not_ do that.”

“I know you don’t have faith in me, but--”

“It will reflect _incredibly_ poorly on me if I let the SOLDIER I’m supposed to be accompanying get himself killed doing something _this_ stupid,” Tseng said. “If you _don’t_ do this, I’ll owe you a favor. A big one.”

“Sorry, Tseng.” Zack gave him an easy grin. “I think I kind of have to.”

Tseng watched in horror as he went through the door. Then, shaking his head, he followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all the company provided enrichment Zack is provided can you really blame him for not wanting to go home yet


	6. Forming Solidarity With Your Fellow Bioweapons Without Explicitly Unionizing So You Don't Get Decommissioned

Genesis looked up from his book as Zack entered.

“Ah,” he said. “Zack Fair. The puppy.”

Zack frowned.

Tseng stepped up next to him. “Most of this town is dead,” he said, “no doubt to keep your presence here a secret. Did you care nothing for them?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Genesis said.

“People are dead,” Zack said. “People you _knew._ You can’t _seriously_ expect me to believe you don’t care about that!”

Genesis took a long, slow breath, that wasn’t _quite_ a sigh, but wasn’t quite _not_ one, either. “I heard about your mission in Wutai,” he said. “How much do _you_ care for the dead there? Or for those you killed on your way in here? Face it, Zack. _We’re_ monsters. Every last SOLDIER.”

Zack stiffened, taking a step back.

Tseng, on the other hand, took a step forward. “You know what will happen if you don’t rejoin Shinra, don’t you?”

“I’d like to see you try,” Genesis said, and threw Tseng into the wall with a ball of flame without waiting for him to do so.

“Tseng!” Zack’s eyes widened, following Tseng’s arc.

Genesis took half a step forward, and stopped. “What’s this?”

Zack turned back in front of him, to see--

“Zexion?” He half choked. “What are _you_ doing here?”

The boy was standing between him and Genesis, hands extended as he looked up at the man.

“Trying to put me to sleep, from the feel of it,” Genesis said. “I… suppose it’s a _small_ comfort, that he’s not _supposed_ to be here, at this age.”

Genesis began walking forward again, drawing his sword. Zexion started to shake.

“After all, knowing you both made your choices will make this easier.”

“What the _fuck,_ man?” Zack scooped Zexion behind him. “He’s just a kid!”

Genesis swung his sword.

The sword connected with another sword, in the hands of one Angeal Hewley.

“Angeal!” Zack said, delighted.

Genesis looked almost amused. “Interesting choice,” he said. “How long will you be able to live with it?”

Then he left.

Zack took a step towards Angeal, who whirled, pointing the sword at him.

“I--” Zack said. But there was nothing else for him to say.

Angeal dropped the sword and left, too.

Zack stood there for a long moment. Then, he looked around, eyes settling on where Zexion had knelt next to Tseng.

He joined the boy.

“Unconscious,” he muttered. “I guess that hit was worse than I thought.”

“I put him to sleep,” Zexion said. “It’s what I’m best at-- the first thing I learned how to do.”

Zack put a hand on Zexion’s shoulder. “Zexion,” he said. “What precisely _can_ you do?”

* * *

  
  


They had to dodge a variety of deadly shenanigans on the way out of town, made harder by the fact that Zack had to carry Tseng’s unconscious form and made easier by the fact that most of their attackers were susceptible to Zexion’s abilities.

Zack’s head still whirled with what he had learned-- what he no doubt couldn’t let anyone know he knew. Not even Kunsel, which hurt a bit, considering how much Kunsel told _him._ This whole Project XIII thing was too much for any reasonable person to be expected to handle.

Zexion winked out of view (“sleep from seal, dreams from sleep, illusions from dreams”) as a helicopter appeared overhead.

When Banora was in flames, it came down to collect Zack and Tseng.

As he climbed in, he felt something brush past him.

Sitting in a corner, Zack realized, was the man Axel. Somewhere between bored and disgusted.

Zack tried not to notice the chain around his ankle.

* * *

“So,” Kunsel said.

“So,” Zack agreed.

They were sitting on the couch that had pretty much become their designated meeting spot.

“No more Banora?”

“None.”

The news had claimed Banora had been lost to a Wutai terrorist attack. Zack wasn’t sure how he felt, having been involved in something that had to be covered up like that. He thought back to Saix’s words, when they’d been in Wutai.

_“Because they don’t send people like us anywhere they’re not planning on committing war crimes. You get used to it, in some fashion or another.”_

Zack had seen Banora burn. He didn’t want to be used to that.

He toyed with a sour candy in his pocket.

“I hope they had some of those apple trees somewhere else,” Kunsel said. “It’d be a shame if we lost them entirely to that.”

“I guess so,” Zack said.

“I thought-- well, you were there, right? Was there really nothing you could do?”

Zack closed his eyes. “Banora was doomed well before I stepped foot in town.”

He had to believe that. He had to believe that him and Tseng discovering the Genesis copies hadn’t been the trigger that sent the airstrike.

He had to believe it had been inevitable, but…

If the airstrike had been inevitable, what was he doing with Shinra?

He rubbed the sides of his head. No good thinking like that.

“That’s rough,” Kunsel said.

“Yeah, it’s-- I need a walk.” Zack stood. The walls around him were starting to feel suffocating. “Wanna come with?”

“I, uh, can’t,” Kunsel said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I should actually be getting ready-- I’ve got a date.”

“Ah!” Zack exclaimed. “Really? Congrats, dude! Who with? Do I know them?”

Kunsel bit his lip. “I, uh…”

“Oh.” Zack covered his mouth. “Shy?”

“About this, yeah,” Kunsel agreed. “That person… doesn’t really want to be in a public relationship, but…”

“They’re cute and you’re willing to keep it on the down low for them,” Zack finished.

“Yeah.”

“I get that.” Zack grinned, giving Kunsel a thumbs up. “Seriously, though, congrats. I’m happy for you, man.”

“Thanks,” Kunsel said. “Sorry I can’t hang out today--”

“No, dude--” Zack put his hands on Kunsel’s shoulders-- “go get ready for your date. Seriously. Have fun.”

“Thanks, man,” Kunsel said. “See you around!”

“Yeah!”

The two of them parted ways.

Zack walked out of the building and took a deep breath.

He just had to put everything that had happened in Banora out of his mind, as much as could be considered possible.

He could do that, he figured.

He was good at keeping his mind off things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zack:  
> The entire fucking universe: this is trauma inside


	7. Timelines And The Apparent Bureaucracy Thereof

It was about a week after Banora that they announced the end of the war, officially. The ‘terrorist attack’ was written off as some loose cannons who hadn’t been called back in time, an unfortunate misunderstanding that Shinra ‘magnanimously didn’t take offense’ over.

Zack spent a lot of that time outside.

The day it was announced, he’d stopped on a bench to check his mail.

“Over, huh?” He slouched. “Maybe Angeal’ll come back, then.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” Zexion said, appearing next to him. He was dressed… almost casually, in clothes a regular kid his age might wear, rather than a too pristine lab coat. “I heard they’re planning on declaring him and Genesis killed in action.”

Zack straightened, stiffening. “What? No! He’s definitely a--”

“Sh!” Zexion covered Zack’s mouth. “You can’t let on you know. Especially not out here.”

“But--”

“Just-- Trust me,” Zexion said. “It’s easier to go along with the narrative. Safer.”

“You know, the more you tell me, the more concerned I get about you,” Zack said. “And that’s _quite_ an accomplishment at this point.”

“Vexen always called me a prodigy,” Zexion said.

Zack laughed, digging a candy out of his pocket and passing it over to the kid.

“Thanks.” Zexion popped it into his mouth. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“Huh?”

“They’re… moving the Project to a different building soon.” Zexion sighed. “One in Sector 2. We haven’t heard why. Luxord said we won’t be there too long, but we won’t be coming back to Sector 8 in any official capacity.”

“Oh,” Zack said. “Are you… gonna be alright?”

“I’ll have to find someone else to give me candy,” Zexion laughed mirthlessly. “Unless I can sneak around here again, sometimes.”

“Right,” Zack said. “Lazard said you were supposed to be on a diet.”

“Simple sugars lower our efficiency,” Zexion said.

“Considering what I’ve seen you do _despite_ this ‘lower efficiency’, I think it’s in everyone’s best interests to give your whole project as much candy as you can eat,” Zack chuckled.

“Not Xemnas,” Zexion said, smiling a little. “He needs full efficiency to keep Larxene in check.”

“My mistake,” Zack said. “Hey, uh… they’re not gonna… _notice_ though, right? For you? I mean--”

“My specialty isn’t useful for their agenda beyond scientific curiosity,” Zexion said. “At the very least, not what they know about it. I’ve had to help out with some surgeries.”

“You’re just a kid,” Zack said. “That’s--”

“So are you.” Zexion shrugged. “Besides, I’m not the youngest person in Project XIII.”

Zack’s stomach sank. “Who…?”

“Her name is Xion.” Zexion kicked his legs idly. “She turned four recently. They’ll start testing her in a couple years, assuming she doesn’t manifest something sooner.”

“Mm,” Zack said. “Maybe we… shouldn’t be talking about this out here.”

“I don’t think any of these people care what we’re talking about, but maybe you’re right.” Zexion stood. “I’m gonna head back, then. Bye.”

Zack watched him go.

* * *

“Director?” Zack entered Director Lazard’s office, trying to ignore Sephiroth standing against the wall.

“Zack,” Lazard said. “Much to discuss, but first and foremost; allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your promotion to first class.”

Zack paused. “M-My…”

“Thought you’d be happier,” Sephiroth said.

“So did I,” Zack said softly. He looked down at his hands.

The promotion was… a surprise. Personally, Zack didn’t think he was on the level of Sephiroth, Angeal, or Genesis yet-- they were heroes. They protected people. They saved people.

Zack certainly hadn’t been able to protect Zexion.

“This comes with another mission, huh,” he said.

“Yes,” Lazard said.

“We’re being assigned with the army to take out Genesis and Angeal,” Sephiroth said.

“What?” Zack turned to him.

“Unfortunately, their defection represents a major threat to Shinra’s interests,” Lazard said. “It’s not a desirable option, but it’s the only one we have; they _must_ be eliminated.”

“That’s…” Zack looked between them. They were both serious-- of course they were, this was nothing to joke about.

Before he could figure out where to go from there, alarms started blaring, signalling an intrusion.

“What’s--”

“Sephiroth, the president,” Lazard said. “Once he’s secure you can pick up additional support for your counterattack. Zack-- get to the sector. Eliminate any threats you encounter on the way.”

“Yes, Sir,” Sephiroth said, sweeping out of the room.

“R-Right,” Zack said.

* * *

Kairi ran through the streets of Sector 8, taking out rogue security systems and anything else that attacked her as she went.

“Damnit,” she muttered, sliding under a particularly close attack and spinning her shuriken into the body of the machine performing it. “What’s _this_ supposed to be?”

She just had to fulfil _her_ end of this _stupid_ bargain with the weird Not-Sora, why was all _this_ getting in her way now, too?

An all too familiar man stepped out of a crowd of swirling cloaks in front of her, and she raised her shuriken defensively.

“Wait,” Luxord said. “Our… mutual patron, one might call him, asked me to point you towards the square.”

“And he couldn’t do this _himself_ because…?”

“He didn’t say,” Luxord said.

She considered that for a moment, then sighed, lowering her weapon. “That’s… in character, for this one.”

“Isn’t it, though?” Luxord stuck his hands in the pocket of his lab coat and hummed. “I’m told you’ve had your issues with one of my counterparts, and it sounds like another one of _yours_ is involved in all this”-- he shrugged vaguely, indicating the scenario at large-- “in her own right, but… in the end, I believe we’re not actively _opposing_ each other here, so let’s act like it, alright?”

“I’ve _been_ trapped in a playing card, so I’m not about to trust you completely,” Kairi said, “but fine. Sure. I’m gonna go do my job now.”

“See you around,” Luxord said, and the whispers swallowed him back up as Kairi changed course towards the square.

She saw several of her fellow Turks there, as she approached, including the all too Axel-esque Reno, as well as what looked like a SOLDIER operative.

She arrived as Tseng dismissed Reno and Rude, and as he attempted to dismiss the SOLDIER, too.

“The Turks have this handled,” Tseng said. “Aren’t you on assignment?”

“This _is_ my assignment,” the SOLDIER said.

“Good,” Kairi said, slowing to a walk as she entered their space. “SOLDIER’s been awfully stingy with their operatives recently.”

“That’s because-- huh?” The SOLDIER jumped slightly as he realized he hadn’t noticed her approach. He must have been pretty distracted.

“Cissnei,” Tseng said. “I thought you were clearing another part of the Sector.”

“Got the sense I should check in here.” Kairi shrugged. “Who’s this?”

“I’m Zack,” Zack said. “Zack Fair. Nice to meet you.”

_Finally._

“Yeah, you too,” Kairi said. “You’re here to help, right? Let’s get to it.”

“Right,” Zack said.

Tseng sighed. No doubt he assumed this was some sort of meetcute. Maybe Zack had, too-- that part didn’t matter.

_“You are going to meet a man named Zack Fair. I need your help taking care of him.”_

Kairi had promised a trade. It was time to fill her part of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have spent the last two days watching Macbeth and transcribing Cookie Run event cutscenes. The duality of man


	8. Top Ten Mentor Fails

Zack turned, hearing a grunt behind him, and saw Cissnei deflecting one of the errant security systems with her shuriken. He slipped past her, slicing at it with his sword.

“Thanks,” he said.

“You, too.” She nodded.

His PHS started to ring, and he answered, holding it to his ear with one hand while he continued fighting. “Is this an emergency? Because it’s kind of a bad time.”

“Yes,” Sephiroth said. “Get to the sector five reactor.”

“Right,” Zack said. “Right away.” He hung up and turned to Cissnei. “I gotta go.”

“What? Already?” She laughed, using her shuriken to launch one machine into another. “We were just starting to have fun.”

“See you around!” Zack called, and ran off.

* * *

Zack stopped and blinked when he caught up with Sephiroth. He hadn’t expected _Demyx_ to be here.

Demyx blinked, too, clearly having been of the same opinion of Zack. That made sense; word of Zack’s promotion probably hadn’t had time to spread, given the chaos of the last fifteen minutes or so since _he’d_ found out about it.

“IX is here to assist us in… _dealing with_ Genesis, Angeal, and Hollander,” Sephiroth said, eyeing Demyx with clear distaste. “Let’s get a move on and try to do this quickly.”

“Right,” Zack said, and fell in step with Demyx as they followed Sephiroth deeper into the reactor. He was _trying_ to ignore the feeling that something was about to go dreadfully wrong. He wasn’t doing very well.

“So…” Demyx said. “How are you?”

“Could be better,” Zack admitted. “Could be a _lot_ better, really. How are you?”

“Same boat, really,” Demyx sighed. “I am _not_ excited to be on today’s mission. I mean-- versus _two_ first class SOLDIERs?”

“Well, you’re _alongside_ two as well, so quit complaining, IX,” Sephiroth said.

Demyx quieted, falling a few steps behind Zack and folding in on himself.

“He’s right, though,” Zack said. “I mean-- Even though we’re prepared, and we _should_ be able to win, doesn’t mean this isn’t gonna suck. I mean, who _knows_ what else Hollander’s--”

“There’s no need to be concerned,” Sephiroth said. “Whatever he’s managed to prepare can’t hold a candle to us. His projects aren’t built to last.”

“Doesn’t mean they can’t do some damage before they fall apart,” Zack muttered.

“Only if you let them.”

They kept walking, further into the reactor.

Soon, they encountered Hollander himself.

“I figured as much,” Sephiroth said. “What are you planning?”

“I’m _planning_ to halt the degradation of G type SOLDIERs,” Hollander said. “I’m the only one who can-- the only one who _knows_ enough about them to do so.”

Demyx scoffed.

“Quiet, you,” Hollander snapped. “This isn’t any business of yours.”

“Eh, it’s all bioweaponry in the end,” Demyx said.

Sephiroth drew his sword, and both of them fell quiet.

Genesis landed in front of Hollander, a whole ass _black wing_ spread defensively between him and the group, his own sword drawn. “Stand down,” he said as the scientist began to run. “This doesn’t go any farther.”

Sephiroth dropped into a combat stance. “Actually, it does,” he said. “Zack, IX, pursue.”

“Yes, Sir,” Zack said, and started running, Demyx hot on his heels.

* * *

“Hey, Zack,” Demyx said, starting to slow. “Maybe we can say we lost him.”

“No,” Zack said. “He’s _going_ to tell me where Angeal is. He doesn’t have a choice.”

“You’d be surprised,” Demyx said.

“No time,” Zack said. “Come on!”

He reached back, grabbing Demyx’s wrist, and forced a burst of speed, pulling the other man along behind him.

“Hollander!”

They managed to catch up to and corner him, skidding to a halt in a section of the reactor where you could see almost all the way up to the sky. Catwalks crisscrossed above them.

“Give it up,” Zack said. “Quit running and tell us where Angeal is!”

“I’m right here,” Angeal said, stepping up in front of Hollander. “I see you got a promotion, but don’t think that means it’s a good idea for you to be here.”

Hollander ran off.

Demyx started forward. “I’ll go--”

“You’ll stay _right_ there,” Angeal said.

Demyx froze.

“What are you _doing_ ?” Zack asked. “Why would you leave Shinra? Why would you--” He stopped, choking on his words. _Why would you leave me?_

Angeal turned away from them, sighing as a white wing sprouted from his back. “In the end, _he_ was right after all,” he said. “I didn’t do you any favors, did I?”

“Of course you did!” Zack said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you! I’d-- I’d still be second-- no, _third_ class, if I was even--”

“Bringing you up like this,” Angeal said. “Was it really a favor? Was it a good thing? For you? For your life?”

“I mean…” Demyx muttered quietly.

“Angeal,” Zack said. “You’re-- I owe you so much, I--”

“I’m a monster, Zack,” Angeal said, “and all I did for you was put you on track to the same fate.”

“You’re _not_ a monster!” Zack yelled. “None of us are! Please--”

Angeal punched Zack in the stomach, and he flew backwards.

As he landed, the floor gave way beneath him.

* * *

“Zack!” Demyx rushed to the edge of the collapsed floor of the reactor and peered down.

“It’s like I said,” Angeal said. “I’m a monster, from a den of monsters. It’s the same for you, isn’t it?”

Demyx didn’t move.

He heard Angeal fly away behind him, and only then did he slowly stand. Maybe he could take this opportunity, maybe he could get away from Midgar, away from Shinra, away from--

Sephiroth appeared, scuffed up but otherwise unfazed. “You lost Hollander and Angeal, too,” he noted.

Demyx nodded, quietly.

“What about Zack? Is he in pursuit, or have we lost _him_ as well?”

Demyx pointed towards the hole.

“Right,” Sephiroth pinched the bridge of his nose. “Then either he’ll be back, or he won’t. Either way, I have to put _you_ back in the box.”

Demyx shuddered at the thought of returning to the Sector 2 lab, but didn’t protest. Those original three firsts were something else-- something that no one who’d ever been as human as Demyx still remembered being could stand up to, not really.

He looked back at the hole in the floor as they left.

How far down did it go? Could Zack survive a fall like that? Could _Demyx_?

If that hole went all the way down to the ground, and Zack survived… Gears started turning in Demyx’s head. He couldn’t say anything _directly_ about his idea, not even to any of the others in the Project, but, well, there was no harm in telling them Zack had fallen, right? What happened afterwards was anyone’s guess, after all.

He’d have to find a way to hear how far the fall had been, if Zack survived, but Zack was a _first class_ SOLDIER now. He’d get to snag the Project for missions now, most likely. If he lived, someone could just ask him.

Zack just had to live.

Of course he would. He _had_ to. He’d been through all sorts of shit and come out the other side. A simple fall would be nothing.

It had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sephiroth: Where is Zack?  
> Demyx: *TomSka voice* In the hole


	9. The Best And Worst Times To Get A Girlfriend

“Demyx tells me Zack fell through the plate,” Luxord said.

“Oh, really?” Kairi leaned against the wall of the alley. “Why? What happened?”

“He was a little unintelligible about that part,” Luxord admitted. “Although, I think it had something to do with Angeal. I’m a little worried about someone taking a dive off the plate as an escape path, if Zack comes back.”

“Which he will,” Kairi said. “I would’ve gotten shit over it if he’d died.”

Luxord shrugged. “True enough. I suppose you’ll be seeking him out again?”

“That’s my job,” she laughed bitterly. “Speaking of jobs, Tseng’ll be looking for me sooner rather than later. I’ve got to get going.”

She ran off.

* * *

Zack stirred, grunting.

“Oh!” Someone clapped their hands. “You _are_ alive! I thought so!”

He blinked his eyes open, vision clearing to see a pretty girl about his age standing over him. “What happened?” He rubbed his head. “Where am I?”

“A church,” she said. “I’m the only person left who uses it, though. A lot of stuff down here is abandoned.”

Zack sat up and looked around. The church was dusty, and he had to try (and fail) to hold back a sneeze. Nearby was some wood, probably dragged away from where he’d fallen. Light from the sun-- no, from sunlamps on the underside of the plate-- shone in through a hole in the ceiling.

“Did you fall off the plate?” She reached down, helping him up. “How’d you survive something like that?”

Zack looked down at where he’d been laying. A patch of flowers, growing out of the dirt. “Soft landing probably didn’t hurt,” he said. “Are the flowers okay, do you think?”

“They’re sturdier than most people’d give them credit for,” she allowed. “Still, I’m gonna have to hope nothing falls on them again. At least, for a few more years.”

Zack chuckled. “You should sell them-- I think this is more flowers than I’ve seen in the whole time I’ve been in Midgar. You could make some decent pocket money.”

“Sell them, huh?” She considered that. “Might work, if nobody _falls_ on them again.”

“I’ll have to take a more conventional method next time I visit,” he said.

“Assuming I _want_ another visit,” she laughed. “But yes, that’d be nice of you.”

“I just fell out of the sky, be nice to me!” Zack whined jokingly.

She laughed again. She had a nice laugh, in Zack’s professional opinion. “Alright, alright,” she said. “I’m Aerith, by the way. What’s your name?”

“Zack,” Zack said. “Zack Fair. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Aerith agreed. “How long are you planning on being down here for, by the way? I could show you around.”

“Ah,” Zack said. “Sounds lovely, but I’m _probably_ gonna have to get back topside soon and explain how I fell off the plate.”

“Then I’ll show you the way, and you can come back sometime,” she said. “You know, assuming you don’t fall off the plate again.”

Zack laughed. “Yeah, I think the second time, they’d complain.”

* * *

On their way towards town proper, they were attacked by some monsters.

“Stand back,” he said, drawing his sword. “I’ve got this.”

He slashed at one of the monsters, and turned to the other one in time to watch Aerith set it on fire.

“Oh, I’m sure you do,” she said brightly. “What, you think I’d be out here if I couldn’t handle myself a little?”

Zack stared at her.

She chuckled, and kept walking. “Come on, you still have to see town before you go.”

He followed quickly. “You’ve got pretty decent fire materia,” he said. “Where’d you--”

“My mom insisted,” she said. “She said if I was gonna keep wandering into danger, I should know my way around a bit of combat magic.”

“Fair enough,” Zack said. “Still, that stuff’s expensive. How do you afford it?”

Aerith shrugged, a grin spreading across her face. “Gonna have to come back and ask again sometime.”

“Hey!” Zack laughed.

* * *

The two arrived at the train station.

“You can get topside with this, I guess,” Aerith said. “Don’t really know why you’d want to, though. It’s better down here. No chance of falling.”

“Maybe, but up there’s where my job is,” Zack said. “Although… I can probably spare a _bit_ more time down here, I mean… I _did_ fall off the plate. I can be forgiven for taking my time on the way back.”

Aerith grinned. “You should come meet my mom, then,” she said, grabbing his hand. “It’s about lunchtime, I can probably convince her to feed you.”

“Home cooking?” Zack’s mouth watered at the thought. “For real?”

“For real!” Aerith said. “Come on!”

She started walking again, into town, and Zack followed her, trying to remember the last time he’d eaten something homemade had been. It had _probably_ been the night before he left home to join SOLDIER, now that he thought about it. Since then, it’d all been travel foods, or stuff from the cafeteria, maybe the occasional convenience store snack. Angeal had gotten him takeout from some restaurant or another once, after his first promotion, but that was the closest he’d gotten to something _homemade_ in Midgar.

Angeal. Zack tried not to be too disheartened by the memory, something that was made easier by the promise of food, but he still felt his throat tighten a little at the thought of his mentor.

The street was full of people, as they walked through town; shop owners and workers calling for others to buy things from their place of business, children playing games of tag or hopscotch or swords, and people who were just generally _being_ and happened to _be_ there. It was… nice. Other places he’d been in Midgar hadn’t felt nearly so _alive_ like this small town under the plate did.

That feeling came to a head as Aerith led him up a small path at the edge of town, and he turned a corner to see a charming little house that was absolutely _surrounded_ by flowers. His gait slowed as he looked around, taking them all in.

“This place is amazing,” he said.

“It’s my house,” Aerith said. “Well-- My mom’s house, but I live here too.”

“How do you get a place like _this_ in Midgar?” Zack stumbled, nearly falling into the _small stream_ running through the flowers, as he drank in the sight with awe.

Another voice cut into their conversation. “My husband built it, originally,” the new woman, who was probably Aerith’s mom, said. “Aerith, who is this?”

“This is Zack,” Aerith said. “He fell out of the sky.”

“He what?” Aerith’s mom blinked in surprise.

“Right into the flowers at the church,” Aerith said. “Can he stay for lunch? Please?”

“Please?” Zack grinned nervously, putting his hands together in a begging motion.

Aerith’s mom sighed, clearly endeared by her daughter. “Alright,” she said. “Zack can stay for lunch.”

“Yay!” Aerith cheered, and ran up to her mom, hugging her. “Thanks, Mom! I love you!”

“Love you, too, dear,” her mom said. “Go in and get some ingredients out, alright?”

“Sure thing!” Aerith ran inside.

Zack moved to follow, but her mom caught his arm. “Listen,” she said. “You’re a SOLDIER, right?”

“Yeah,” Zack said.

“I thought so.” Aerith’s mom looked at him coldly. “Why are you _really_ here?”

Zack’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Aerith… invited me?”

“And what were you doing _before_ you two ran into each other?”

“Being passed out?” Zack rubbed the back of his head. “I kind of fell through the plate.”

“ _Through_ the plate.”

“Yeah,” Zack said.

“How do you fall _through_ the plate?”

Zack scuffed his foot nervously. “I… _may_ or may not have been punched through a weak point in the personnel section of the reactor.”

Aerith’s mother sighed. “Come on in, then. If you’re going to be eating here, you may as well help prepare lunch.”

“What? I can’t cook!”

  
“You’ll _learn_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Aerith time babey


	10. "Be Bi Do Crime": Advice For The Modern Couple

Aerith’s mom, Elmyra Gainsborough, ended up making Zack chop vegetables for lunch. They weren’t very even, but she didn’t seem unsatisfied with them, so he supposed they were good enough.

The food was  _ good. _ As far as Zack was concerned, it was the best food he’d ever tasted.

“Zack was suggesting I sell some of the flowers to people around Midgar,” Aerith said as they ate. “What do you think, Mom?”

“Hm,” Elmyra said. “Well, it wouldn’t hurt for you to get a job.”

Aerith laughed. “I get it, I get it! Zack’s gonna have to build me a cart to transport them in, though.”

“You’re not planning on shoving all your work onto this young man, are you? I raised you better than that.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll help.”

“It’s going to be  _ your _ cart.”

“I don’t know how to build a cart!”

“And  _ he _ does?”

“Hey, uh,” Zack said, “on the subject of jobs, if you don’t mind me asking…”

Aerith shook her head, and Zack paused.

“You were wondering what we do for money,” Elmyra finished.

Aerith put her head on the table.

“It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me,” Zack said quickly. “Since we only just met, and stuff, but…”

Elmyra sighed. “You are just a  _ fountain _ of curiosity.”

“I get that a lot.”

“If you  _ must _ know,” Elmyra said, “I’m a war widow. I’ve got a pension.”

“Oh,” Zack said. “I’m… sorry for bringing it up.”

There was a knock on the door.

Aerith groaned. “Is it  _ him _ again?”

“It better not be,” Elmyra said. “Oh, maybe it’s Rude and Reno again.”

“If it’s Rude and Reno, they can join us for lunch,” Aerith said. “If it’s Tseng, don’t let him in.”

Zack choked.

Elmyra stood and went to the door, opening it. Then she closed it again and sat back in her seat.

There was another knock at the door.

Zack managed to swallow his mouthful of lunch. “How many Turks visit you on any given day?”

“It depends,” Aerith said.

“On what?”

“How many of them feel like it, I think.” She leaned back in her chair as there was a third knock. “He’s not gonna go away, is he?”

“Give me a minute, I’ll make him leave,” Zack said, and shoveled some more food into his mouth.

Elmyra and Aerith exchanged a look.

When Zack’s plate was empty (around the time of the seventh knock) he went and opened the door.

“Zack?” Tseng said, shock plain on his face.

“Tseng,” Zack said. “How’ve you been?”

Tseng tried, wordlessly, to process the situation. After a few seconds, he abandoned the attempt. “We should probably get you back topside,” he said finally. “Is your PHS functional?”

“Hm? Oh, I haven’t checked.” Zack pulled it out of his pocket. “I was a bit distracted, you know? Hey, emails!”

Tseng sighed. “Come on.”

Zack waved goodbye as he and Tseng left the Gainsborough house. He was looking forward to visiting again sometime.

* * *

Zack was confined to the base for several days following his fall. Part of that was Lazard’s insistence that the  _ brand new first class _ getting killed would be bad for morale, and part of that was Kunsel freaking out upon getting the slightly more classified than he was technically allowed to know rundown of why Zack had been gone without warning for a day and a half.

Still, eventually, he was able to get away and take the train down to the Sector 5 slums to go see Aerith again. He hummed to himself as he walked through the town, heading towards the Gainsborough house.

In the window of an accessory shop, a ribbon caught his eye, and he slowed. It was pink, and cute, and seemed to flutter in a nonexistent breeze, and he thought Aerith might like it, so he entered the shop and asked the shopkeeper, Ava, about it.

A few minutes later, he was continuing on his way, ribbon in his pocket.

Just out of town, but not quite to the Gainsborough house, he heard the sounds of a fight. He followed them off to the side of the path, where he found a large, open area.

Aerith was fighting a Turk. Rude, to be precise. It looked like it was a challenge for both of them.

Zack stood off to the side, not sure what to do with the situation.

Eventually, Rude stood down. “Not today, either, then,” he said.

“Nope!” Aerith said brightly.

“Very well.” He adjusted his gloves. “Same time next week?”

“Oh, we both know it won’t be,” she said.

Rude left, walking past Zack without really acknowledging him.

“What was that about?” Zack asked as Aerith downed a potion. “I mean--”

“Don’t worry about it,” Aerith said. “I’m just, like,  _ super _ cool. Nice to see you again.”

“Yeah, great to be here,” Zack said. “I, uh… I bought you a gift, but I’m not gonna get in trouble with the law if I give it to you, right?”

“Depends on the gift,” she said.

Zack held up the ribbon, and Aerith’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, that’s so cute!” She hugged him. “Thank you!”

“Uh… sure,” Zack said, flushing a bit. “No problem.”

He ended up tying it in her hair for her.

“Hm,” she said. “You know what a gift like this deserves?”

“What’s that?”

“A celebration!” Aerith grinned at him. “I know a park we can go to in Sector 6. It’s not that far from here!”

“It’s in a whole other sector,” Zack said.

“Yeah, but it’s walking distance,” Aerith said. “Come on!”

He followed her.

In the end, the park  _ was _ walking distance, if one didn’t mind one’s walking distance including a fair amount of monsters on the way. They practically fell into the seats of the swings, tired and laughing.

“I haven’t taken that path in  _ ages! _ I forgot how fun it is,” Aerith said. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“Of course,” Zack said. “That was awesome! I mean-- You should’ve seen yourself come down on that drake!”

She blushed. “ _ You _ should’ve seen  _ yourself _ against that weird robot thing!”

In unison, they said, “You were  _ so _ cool!”

Then they laughed.

Aerith was great, in Zack’s professional opinion. She was cool, and badass, and cute, and he really, really liked her. Something in his chest felt warm, in a very specific way, and he liked the feeling. He wished this moment could last forever.

Zack’s PHS started to ring, and he deflated. “I was  _ supposed _ to have today off,” he muttered.

“You should… probably still answer it,” Aerith said, sighing a little.

He flipped it open and held it up to his ear. “Yeah?”

“Get back up here. Genesis is attacking.”

“What?” Zack yelped. “I’ll be right there!” He clicked it shut. “Sorry, Aerith, I gotta go!”

“Come back soon!” She called after him.


End file.
